Unfeeling

Twenty Three | Without Wings

Alexander

The wind blew my curly hair into my face. Frankly I didn't give one single shit. As I flew, I was free.

I broke through the clouds, and spun and twisted. I let out a whoop before suspending myself in mid air.

My chest constricted at this height and my wings beat furiously behind me but I needed this vantage point.

From where I flew, I felt like I could see the whole world. I saw Adana, burning and swore I saw bodies hanging from crosses and spikes. So much death. I could see Iniquitous Headquarters, not celebrating there win against Adana because they didn't feel a single thing.

The only thing I couldn't see was Clandestine. For the past weeks my mind had been cluttered with thoughts of Sterling Valentino and Princess Amberley.

Who exactly were they? They were just angels to me at the moment. How would they save the world from tyranny? What could they possibly do that I couldn't. I was the one with wings, wasn't I?

I almost pitied the Altrus in Clandestine, at how they were all going to die once the Iniquitous finds there position. But then again, they had never taken me in, sheltered me so why should I pity them?

I shot forward, welcoming the sting of wind and dust pelting my face. My wings blew huge blast of winds. I grinned. I didn't need a spoiled princess to save a world she had never even seen. I had seen the world.

In my motions, something collided with me. I gasped and twisted away. A black bird had impacted with me and was now plummeting down. A raven.

We didn't have ravens this far south. I shot downward and followed the birds path. Before I knew if, I landed on a soft meadow field just outside of Adana's walls.

I searched for the bird for a few minutes. There was no sight of it. I almost shoot back up into the sky when noticed the raven.

It was swinging from a tree branch. A piece of twine had somehow made its way around its neck and it was hanging. It was obviously dead but its black wings twitched, reminding me of my own wings.

Nervousness laced through my blood stream. I couldn't help but picture the bird as myself, hanging from my neck in the gallows.

I pulled the string down from the tree and let the bird settle onto the ground. Shame.

~

The flight home started uneventful but the further I flew, the more I sensed foreboding. I had still my wings momentarily and heard the whizz first.... then an arrow shredded my right wing. I screamed and plummeted. The air stung my face as I fell and pain was ricocheting throughout my body.

My nose dive was thankfully short thanks to my closeness to the ground. The impact onto the hard, dense ground didn't hurt any less.

"What do we have here? A little birdy?" A voice echoed. I growled and jumped to my feet, ignoring the blinding pain lancing through my back. Fuck.

A group of four men in cloaks all stood around me. Adana soldiers.

"I bet he'll fetch a good price at the market, ain't that right boys?"

The others nodded in agreement. I grimaced. Great, today was the day I get mugged? It was already bad enough. I reached behind me and yanked the arrow out of my wing. I winced but soon the wing started to heal.

I studied the weapon. It was coated with blood, my blood.

I felt a flash of anger echo through me. I turned to the men. "Eenie meenie miny moo," I tainted before throwing the arrow at the second man with all my might.

I flapped my wing and a gust of wind sent the arrow flying and I felt delighted at the wet thud as the weapon hit his throat. I smiled wickedly as the man scraped at his throat before gurgling blood and falling forward. Dust churned around him. His comrades looked startled...and afraid.

"Who...who are you?"

I chuckled before turning deadly serious. "Someone you don't want to fuck with."

The stumbled backward before turning to run. I laughed and with a mighty flap of my wings, I landed in front of the men.

"Since we ran into each other, you might as well be useful and answer some of my questions."

They nodded forcefully and I closed my wings behind my back and grinned. "What's the status on Adana?"

There eyes widened as if they could still feel war surrounding them. "Completely burned down. Practically everyone's dead."

I shrugged and picked at my fingernails. "And King John and Princess Amberley?"

"King John hasn't been sighted since the attack and Princess Amberley is a ghost, she's been missing for months."

I cocked my eyebrows. Missing? I knew exactly where that spoiled royal bitch was. Clandestine.

"Tell me everything you know about Amberley."

"Her mother died, she's very beautiful, kind. I've...I've heard rumors that the King beats her. People been sayin' that's why she's missing, they say she ran away."

"Wrong, she didn't run away. She's in Clandestine you idiots."

There eyes widened and there eyebrows furrowed.

"Do you know where Clandestine is?"

"No one knows. Somewhere outside of Adana though."

I nodded and contemplated this. Amberley was beat? I doubt it...it's probably only a stupid rumor. She's princess and princesses don't get hit.

"You all have been no help at all. And you shot my wing. Do you know what happens to people to try to make me live without wings?"

They shook there heads. "They die."

Before they could register what I said, I had thrown three knives one after another. Each made its mark and sunk into their skulls. They fell.

The stench of death followed me as I flew away. I wore it like my favorite cologne.